Laboratory Scientists in Ghana have been admonished not to take chances in their field of work amid Coronavirus pandemic, and treat every sample presented them suspected Positive case of COVID-19.
Ghana has recorded 214 confirmed cases of COVID-19 as of April 4, 2020, with five(5) fatalities.
According to the Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists (GAMLS), the laboratory is classified among the high-risk zone with regards to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the Association, the processes of sample collection, transport, packaging, and analyses are highly risky therefore very important that the necessary precautions are taken in order not to put the Medical Laboratory Professionals at risk when working on these samples routinely.
The Association explained in a statement issued April 5, 2020, under the signature of Dr. Dennis Adu-Gyasi, FWAPCML (Immunology)-Public Relations Officer that, majority of people who are asymptomatic may show up in our health facilities as patients to be diagnosed and treated for conditions other than COVID-19. These individuals access medical laboratory services for various samples to be collected for testing.
Additionally, there are an increasing number of people who are on admission and on treatment who access healthcare from the hospital and later turn out to be positive for COVID-19. Samples from these patients either taken in the ward or in the laboratory are sent for analysis without the medical laboratory scientist knowing the clinical summary. These, the Association says further put the Medical Laboratory Scientists among the high-risk group category for dealing with the virus.
The Association is also of the firm opinion that most of the samples presented in the laboratory need centrifugation adding that, currently, some centrifuges in our laboratories do not have proper lids and are malfunctioning. These centrifuges generate aerosols when in use.
The auto-analyzers used in the various laboratories produce aerosols when processing samples and hence the necessary precautions must be taken to prevent possible exposure to infection and/or contamination of medical laboratory staff and other equipment. Ideally, these samples are to be handled in BSL-2 laboratory facilities which are absent in most of our health facilities. The statement said.
“It is therefore important that laboratory scientists who collect, package, transport and analyze samples
in various units of the laboratories across the country take every sample they encounter as a suspected
positive sample for COVID-19 irrespective of the tests being requested”
The Ghana Association of Medical Science Laboratory Scientists has, therefore, urged its members to in accordance with WHO and CDC protocols on laboratory personal protective equipment (PPE) on
COVID-19, every laboratory personnel should have a baseline PPE of N95 nose mask, Gown, Goggles, and Gloves as part of their duties.
GAMLS, therefore, re-iterates call on government and Ghana Health Service and managers of health facilities to ensure that adequate provision of the required PPEs in line with the Labour Act, 2003 Act 651, Article 118:1 and 3 to enable Medical Laboratory Professionals to offer their services routinely to patients and for the management of COVID-19 cases in various places of work.
The Association reminded Medical Laboratory Scientists to ensure strict adherence to the use of appropriate PPEs in line with Good Laboratory Practice and WHO recommendations while working in the laboratory or dealing with any human sample to prevent exposure to unnecessary risk of infection.
The general public is advised to remain calm and follow the recommendations being provided by the Ministry of Health/ Ghana Health Services.
Source: Mybrytfmonline/Obed Ansah
